A simple and efficient method for onion pollen preservation: Germination, dehydration, storage conditions, and seed production

The preservation of viable pollen is essential to overcome the problems related to the asynchronous flowering of the parental lines in onion hybrid breeding programs. The aim of this study was to establish a simple, inex-pensive, and easily reproducible protocol for medium-term onion pollen storage. First, the conditions for assessing the in vitro pollen germination were optimized. The liquid medium favored the counting of germination of pollen grains in comparison to the solid medium. The addition of 75 mg/l Ca(NO3)2. 4H2O to the medium did not improve pollen germination, while that of 150 mg/l Ca(NO3)2. 4H2O inhibited pollen germination. The highest germination percentage was achieved by incubation at 30-35 degrees C in the dark. Second, fresh or dehydrated pollen (maintained in a desiccator with silica gel at 25 degrees C for 18 h) was stored at 4, -20, and -80 degrees C for two years to study pollen preservation. In addition, the viability and germination capacity of stored pollen were periodi-cally evaluated at 0, 15 and 30 days; 2 and 6 months; and 1 and 2 years. Pollen viability was best retained at low relative humidity and temperatures below zero. Dehydration was essential for pollen preservation at -20 and -80 degrees C. The results showed that dehydrated pollen stored at -20 degrees C could be used, with guarantees, for polli-nation throughout the flowering season. However, the highest viability and in vitro germination percentages after two years of storage (29 and 32%, respectively) were achieved with dehydrated pollen stored at -80 degrees C. Finally, the capacity of stored pollen to produce seeds was confirmed in crosses with male sterile lines. In this way, dehydrated pollen stored at -80 degrees C for two years produced an average of 47.9 seeds/100 flowers, representing 43% of the seed in the control crosses. This is the first report in onion research of seed production after polli-nation with preserved pollen at -80 degrees C for two years.Este trabajo ha sido financiado por el Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad INIA-FEDER (RTA2015-00042-C02-01), por el Convenio EEAD-CSIC con el CITA-Aragón para la «Producción de dobles haploides de cebolla y desarrollo de un protocolo de conservación de polen», y por el Gobierno de Aragón (Grupos A11-20R y A08-20R).Publishe

El estrés térmico en ganado lechero: percepción, preocupación y soluciones desde la genética

El estrés por calor tiene consecuencias negativas en la productividad y bienestar de los animales, más patentes en el ganado lechero. Se espera que estas consecuencias sean aún mayores en un futuro como consecuencia del cambio climático. El desarrollo e implantación de sistemas de mitigación contribuye a disminuir los efectos del estrés por calor, pero su efectividad disminuirá a medida que las temperaturas aumenten. La selección genética se plantea como una herramienta para mejorar la adaptación de los animales al estrés por calor. Si bien el sector productor de leche está concienciado del impacto negativo del estrés por calor, el uso de las herramientas genéticas disponibles para mejorar la tolerancia térmica de los animales requerirá el aporte de información sobre estas herramientas tanto a los ganaderos como a otros agentes del sector (veterinarios, las cooperativas de productores y las asociaciones de razas).Los autores agradecen la información recibida de las asociaciones de ganaderos (CONAFE, AGRAMA, ASSAF.E, ARDIEKIN, ACRIFLOR y otras) y de AEMET, la financiación recibida por los proyectos nacionales (RTA2015-0035) y europeos (iSAGE, Rumigen) y la colaboración de COVAP que han hecho posible la realización de los estudios cuyos resultados se han presentado en este trabajo.Publishe

Tipificación de los sistemas ganaderos en Magallanes y Antártica Chilena: características técnicas y valoración de atributos de resiliencia

Este trabajo ha sido financiado por el Ministerio de Universidades de España, dentro del programa de estancias de movilidad de profesores e investigadores en centros extranjeros de enseñanza superior e investigación (proyecto Evaluación de la Resiliencia de Agroecosistemas en Ambientes Extremos; ref. PRX22/00455). El desarrollo metodológico se ha tomado del proyecto RUMIRES: Fortaleciendo la resiliencia de los sistemas ganaderos de pequeños rumiantes de razas locales: de la covid-19 al cambio global. Financiación: AEI PID2020-120312RA-I00. Coordinación: Daniel Martín-Collado

Research project: Hydromulches for weed control and water saving in a circular bioeconomy framework

PID2020-113865RR/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 (Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation).mulchweedssustainable agricultur

How do farm and farmer attributes explain perceived resilience?

Abstract CONTEXT Uncertainty surrounds farming systems across Europe and strengthening their resilience lies at the centre of the European policy agenda. Although farming systems´ resilience has been widely conceptualised, no consensus has been reached about assessing the contribution of farm and farmer attributes to farmers´ perceived resilience by quantitative approaches. OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to understand what farm(er) attributes and principles contribute to explain farmers´ perceived resilience. Our specific objectives are to: i) develop a conceptual framework composed of attributes, principles and capacities to assess farms' resilience, including farmer personal resilience as a resilience principle; ii) quantify links between farm attributes and resilience principles with farmers´ perceived resilience capacities. METHODS We developed a framework that includes different farm and farmer attributes grouped into resilience principles. We designed and conducted a structured survey to allow small ruminant farmers in Spain to self-assess their resilience attributes and capacities. We used structural equation modelling to assess to what extent resilience attributes and principles explain perceived robustness, adaptability, transformability capacities and overall resilience. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS Farmers´ perceived resilience can be explained by several resilience attributes and principles, including farmers' personal resilience. Some attributes contribute similarly to robustness, adaptability and transformability, while others contribute particularly to each capacity. Farm diversity, tightness of feedbacks and farmers´ personal resilience were key for explaining farmers´ perceived resilience for small ruminant farming systems in Spain. In particular, farmer optimism, and farms' ability to respond in different ways to challenges and to overcome difficulties in the past, were the attributes that most influenced resilience perceptions. Our results highlight the importance of farmer personality, in addition to farm characteristics, for understanding farmers' resilience perceptions. SIGNIFICANCE This study contributes to the development of quantitative farm resilience assessments by considering multiple farm attributes and also several farmers' psychological attributes. Our framework provides a list of attributes and principles that can be applied to different farming systems. We provide a specific approach to identify the most relevant attributes and principles that drive perceived resilience in a large set of them that could guide farm and stakeholders' decision making.Resilience frameworkResilience assessmentPublishe

Relationship between the natural 15N enrichment of plasma and feed conversion efficiency in fattening young bulls

Feed conversion efficiency - FCEBeef cattleNitrogenPlasma proteinsAverage daily gainPublishe

Diversidad genética en cultivares locales de almendro de Canarias evaluados mediante caracterización molecular con SSRs

Este trabajo se ha realizado con la colaboración y la financiación de la Asociación de Almendras de Gran Canariadiversidad genéticamarcador SSRalmendroPrunu

Compatibility of entomopathogenic nematodes and essential oils: A new step for integrated pest management of the truffle beetle

The European truffle beetle, Leiodes cinnamomeus, is the most important pest in black truffle (Tuber melanosporum) plantations. Entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs) are promising biological control agents against L. cinnamomeus. Essential oils (EOs) are also recently being investigated for the control of the adults of this pest. Therefore, both control methods could be combined in Integrated Pest Management (IPM) programs to enhance their efficacy. However, limited information exists regarding the effects of the EOs on EPNs and so their compatibility. The aims of our work were to study the effects of three previously described insecticidal and nematicidal essential oils, Allium sativum, Mentha suaveolens, and Satureja montana, on the survival, infectivity, reproduction, and attraction behaviour of three EPN species: Steinernema feltiae, Steinernema carpocapsae and Heterorhabditis bacteriophora. Therefore, we conducted three experiments under laboratory conditions to observe the lethal and sublethal effects by direct contact, the lethal effect by fumigation, and the chemotaxis response. Allium sativum caused the highest mortality rates in all three EPN species at 24 and 72 h post application whether by direct contact (97–99%) or fumigation (40–42%), and it also reduced their infective capacity on Galleria mellonella. Satureja montana EO caused low mortality rates compared to A. sativum, but it was significantly more lethal (6–8%) than the control (0–3%) at 72 h in the direct contact assay. It also displayed repellent properties against S. feltiae and H. bacteriohora in the chemotaxis assay. In contrast, M. suaveolens EO exhibited minimal impact on the survival, infectivity and reproduction of all three EPN species. Therefore, our results suggest M. suaveolens oil may be the most compatible EO for use integrated with EPNs. Further validation under field conditions and in the presence of L. cinnamomeus is necessary to confirm the practical applicability of these findings.Deseamos expresar nuestro agradecimiento al Centro de Investigación y Tecnología Agroalimentaria de Aragón (CITA) y al Gobierno de Aragón por su apoyo financiero.Publishe

Metanálisis de los efectos de la fertilización nitrogenada sobre producción y composición de la uva en vid para vinificación: resultados preliminares

El nitrógeno (N) es el macronutriente que absorben en mayor cantidad los cultivos, incluyendo la vid. Aportado en exceso, sin embargo, el nitrógeno ocasiona perjuicios tanto para los cultivos como para el medio ambiente. Además, la eficiencia en el uso del agua depende fuertemente de la eficiencia en el uso del nitrógeno (EUN) y viceversa. En consecuencia, aportar nitrógeno en la medida en que es requerido por la planta presenta gran importancia en la viticultura. A este respecto es necesaria una consolidación de conocimientos, para ello se requiere de un metanálisis de resultados procedentes de ensayos de fertilización de la vid con nitrógeno. En primer lugar, se recopilaron las variables consideradas más importantes para la caracterización de este tipo de ensayos. A continuación, se realizó un barrido en los índices de sumarios publicados en las bases de datos de WOS y Scopus. Tras eliminar duplicados, se reunieron 283 trabajos que se cribaron según estos criterios de descarte: uva de mesa, ausencia de las variables recopiladas o revisión bibliográfica. Así, se seleccionaron un total de 122 trabajos de los cuales se consiguió el texto completo de 117. Estos se leyeron en detalle para extraer los valores de las variables recopiladas, resultando en una selección final de 95 trabajos. A continuación, se estudió cómo cambian en términos relativos la producción y los sólidos solubles totales en mosto (SST) con la dosis de nitrógeno. Los datos de producción se adaptan a una curva clásica de pendiente-meseta, mientras que los de SST se adaptan más a una curva de ascenso-máximo-descenso. En consecuencia, fue posible calcular las dosis de N que maximizan la EUN de la vid que se encuentran entre 12 y 27 kg-ha¹, según el objetivo sea producción o SST y el fertilizante se aplique a través del suelo o la fertirrigación. El metanálisis continuará con la consideración de más variables agronómicas y enológicas para precisar más las dosis de N.Proyectos PDC2021-121210-C21 y PDC2021-121210-C22 financiados por MICIN/AEI 10.13039/501100011033 y por la Unión Europea Next GenerationEU/ PRTR.Publishe

Impact of drought stress on vitamin C and anthocyanin content in cultivated lettuces (Lactuca sativa L.) and wild relatives (Lactuca spp.)

In leaf samples, Lactuca wild species generally had a higher content of total vitamin C than the cultivated lettuces. In contrast, the commercial varieties usually contained more total anthocyanins than the wild species. Total vitamin C decreased with the drought stress in all accessions, commercial varieties, and lettuce wild relatives, with this tendency being consistent and reproducible across the 2 years. These differences were significant in the case of the green commercial varieties ‘Winter Crop’ (in 2020/2021) and ’Dolomiti G12’ (in 2021/2022) and very significant in the red commercial variety ’Red Sails’ (in 2020/2021). However, the only group in which the effect of drought was either significant or very significant in both years was the wild species, Lactuca homblei and Lactuca dregeana, and in the latter also in both tissues (leaf and stem) analyzed. Water stress resulted in an increase of the total anthocyanin content in the leaves from all the accessions, both red commercial varieties and wild relatives, in both years. The most significant enrichment and the only one being either significant or very significant in both years was observed in one of the wild relatives assayed (L. homblei). Stems (L. dregeana) contained more anthocyanins than leaves under control conditions, and it was exactly the opposite under drought. Changes in anthocyanins in the two tissues in response to drought stress were in opposite directions, increasing in leaves and decreasing in stems. This could suggest a translocation of anthocyanins as a first quick mechanism to cope with a severe lack of water. In conclusion, anthocyanins (unlike vitamin C) could play a role in the mechanisms deployed by the plant to tolerate drought stress. The wild species with a robust significant enrichment in anthocyanins as a response to drought (L. homblei) is a promising plant material to breed more resilient lettuces.Los autores declaran haber recibido apoyo financiero para la investigación, autoría y/o publicación de este artículo. Este trabajo ha sido financiado por los proyectos PID2022-138484OR-I00 del Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación y Agencia Estatal de Investigación (AEI) y LMP164_18 y LMP148_21, ambos del Gobierno de Aragón; y por el Programa Operativo FEDER Aragón 2014-2020 y 2020-2022, y el Fondo Social Europeo de la Unión Europea (A12-17R: "Grupo de investigación en fruticultura: caracterización, adaptación y mejora genética"). IM-L contó con el apoyo de un contrato predoctoral para la formación de doctores del Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades (MCIU) y de la Agencia Estatal de Investigación (AEI).lettucecrop wild relativesantioxidantsascorbic acidUPLC-UVabiotic stresswater deficitPublishe